Leeds United (D1)   vs   Manchester City (D4)

 

The PMF National Stadium was awash with the colours of both sides as the giant arena hosted the first-ever PMF Cup Final.  The match was between Division 1 giants Leeds United and Division 4 champions Manchester City, who had both earned their presence in this massive game with some good performances in the qualifying rounds. 

 

Leeds, under Chris Porter, have had a much better Cup season than League one, where they finished just two points above the relegation zone in Division 1 after a disappointing end-of-season run.  In the first round of the Cup they had few troubles in shrugging off Division 4 side Norwich City, smashing the Canaries 6-0 with a hat-trick to French star Louis Saha, and singles to Eirik Bakke, Michael Bridges and Alan Smith.  They squeaked through the second round, travelling to Old Trafford to meet Manchester United, winning 6-5 on penalties after a hard-fought 2-2 draw after extra time, goals to Saha and Robbie Keane helping their passage through.  The quarter-final was a struggle for the Whites, but a goal to Jermaine Defoe was enough to guide them past Division 2 upstarts Charlton Athletic.  A single goal was also enough to progress through the semis, Steed Malbranque pouncing to give Leeds a hard-earned 1-0 win over divisional rivals Arsenal.

 

Manchester City have had a great run in both the Cup and League this season, and despite being from a lower division, were red-hot favourites to lift the trophy today, and also deserving champions in Division 4.  Matt Hansen has built a side that is feared throughout all of England, and their impressive Cup run began in the first round with a 3-1 victory over Barnsley, with goals for Diego Gavilan, Richard Dunne and Eyal Berkovic.  The second round was a much tougher affair, and the Blues memorably triumphed against incredible odds versus Division 1 giants Liverpool, Danny Tiatto scoring the first before Alioune Toure netted the memorable winner.  The third round was a pushover for the Division 4 side though, as they brushed aside Leicester City 3-0, Milan Baros scoring twice and countryman Vladimir Smicer once.  The semi-final against Derby County was a turbo-charged event, and after going 2-0 down, all looked lost.  The City spirit came through in the end though, eventually seeing them win 3-2, with goals to Ariel Ortega, Baros again, and a stunning Erlend Hanstveit strike. 

 

The Whites came into this match knowing that only victory in this big final would appease fans after a fairly miserable few months.  Porter is reportedly walking a tight line in regards of his job, and with same massive names apparently interested in the Elland Road job, the Scotland boss knew that victory was essential here today.  A depressing midweek loss to Tottenham Hotspur wouldn't help matters at all though, Spurs triumphing 2-0 as Leeds fell to pieces.  Their players would be up for this match though, a Cup final doesn't roll around every day after all, and their Scottish manager chose a full-strength lineup for the match, missing only the suspended Danny Mills.  Irish veteran Gary Kelly replaced him in a modified 4-4-2 formation.

 

Hansen and his Division 4 stars had no such problems.  Their goalscoring form of late has been stunning, with goals galore in recent matches against Barnsley and co.  Belying their low divisional status, City came into this match as red-hot favourites, with a number of betting agencies even reluctant to offer odds on the match.  Hansen would know the form book could all but be thrown out the window for a game of this magnitude, and with no injury or suspension concerns marring his side, was free to pick a full-strength lineup.  The likes of Ortega, Baros and Smicer graced the side in a menacing 3-1-3-1-2 formation.

 

The noise around the stadium was absolutely unbelievable as the sides took to the pitch before the match.  With a capacity crowd of 120,000 packing into the PMF National Stadium for this Cup final, the atmosphere was always going to be great.  It was a great sight to see half the stadium bathed in the white of Leeds, while the other half was the light blue of their challengers Manchester City.  Both sets of players looked nervous as 'God Save the Queen' was sung, while another minute's silence was extremely well performed in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, who was laid to rest this week.

 

With the formalities finished, the match was ready to start.  Referee Henry Cricklewood waited patiently in the centre circle as City performed a spur-of-the-moment group huddle.  It would've been hard for anybody in the group to hear what was going on though, and the spectators made themselves heard, chanting the names of the managers and players in full voice.

 

Finally, the match was ready to start, and the first whistle of the final was blown.  City kicked off, and they let their intentions be known immediately, stroking the ball around comfortably and quickly amongst themselves, leaving the Whites players chasing shadows in the opening minutes.

 

The first chance of the match indeed fell to City and Shaun Goater, in the 3rd minute, when the advancing Alf Inge Haaland played a fine ball between Rio Ferdinand and Jonathon Woodgate for the Bermudan to run on to, but his shot from the edge of the area flew just over, leaving Nigel Martyn to yell at his struggling defence for a slack defensive showing.

 

The City fans did not have to wait long for the first goal though, and it came in the seventh minute through a hardly-surprising source.  Building a nice move down the right, Argentinian star Ortega made a fine run down the sideline, eluding Ian Harte before cutting inside.  He left the ball for Hanstveit, who spotted Ortega sprinting away from him and pointing in front of his feet just outside the box.  The Norwegian supplied the ball, and Ortega produced a sublime shot, smacking the ball left-footed as it ran away from him, and watching in delight as it curled into the top corner, Martyn rooted to the spot.

 

After such a stunning goal, the City fans were singing loudest, chanting the name of their cut-price star who obliged them with a wave before the kickoff.  The City players were more than happy to show just how confident they were, knocking it about with contempt for a period of time, the Leeds midfield struggling badly to impose themselves on the match.  When the Whites players were on the ball they were being rushed off it, and they became visibly frustrated.

 

This frustration very nearly cost them dearly in the 15th minute, when Malbranque brought down a rampaging Tiatto 25 yards from goal and directly in front, and standing menacingly over the ball were Baros and Ortega.  Goalkeeper Martyn couldn't be sure who was going to take it, but it was to be Baros, who curled a fine effort goalwards, but had to watch as it hit the bar, landed centimetres in front of the line, and was frantically cleared by Woodgate.  It was an unstoppable free kick which fully deserved a goal, very unlucky for the young Czech star.

 

Whites were restricted to very few attacking options, but as usual it was Harry Kewell who was their best player, the little Aussie magician almost bringing about a shock equaliser in the 20th minute.  He dispossessed Steve Howey in the City defensive third and immediately thumped a drive towards Nicky Weaver from all of 30 yards out, but the shot flew at good pace just inches wide of the post.  Howey looked sheepish as the Leeds crowd began to find its voice, singing the name of their left winger.

 

The men from the blue half of Manchester would soon take control of the game again, and had a gilt-edged chance to just about put the game beyond Leeds' reach in the 28th minute when Tiatto swung a neat cross into the box.  It curled away from Martyn, who came out to catch it, but Haaland's ambitious volley flew wide.  The Norwegian midfielder held his hand up in apology, as team mates Smicer and Goater were unmarked to his right with an open net to shoot at.

 

City were completely in control though, and never looked like being punished for missing this chance.  They hit the woodwork again on the half hour mark, when Ortega stretched the beleaguered Leeds defence with a stunning cross-field pass to Smicer.  The former Liverpool star sent a low first-time ball into the box into the path of Goater, and the Bermudan's low drive beat Martyn but unfortunately not the post, the Leeds goalkeeper grabbing the loose ball and clutching it to his chest.

 

It was soon enough 2-0 to the team from Division 4 though, and again it came from a fine build-up.  Again Smicer was giving Harte a nightmare on the right, and on this occasion produced some nifty footwork to beat the Republic of Ireland international.  He made a smart run down the sideline, holding off his marker Kewell, before playing the ball down towards the corner flag to the sprinting Hanstveit.  The Norwegian instantly crossed into the box, Rio Ferdinand unlucky to be unable to stretch far enough to clear the ball, leaving Baros a relatively easy finish, low past the exposed Martyn.

 

2-0 was a great lead to have, but Hansen didn't show much happiness on the sidelines, continually writing notes down and watching the play intently.  Porter was incensed on his sideline though, often having to be ushered back inside his technical area by fourth official Paul McDurkin as he roared instructions at his players.

 

The Scot would be thrilled just minutes later though, as his side grabbed a penalty in the 41st minute.  Again Kewell incited it, making a surging run down the left before cutting into the box, where he was tugged down by the back-tracking Smicer.  Cricklewood had no hesitation in pointing at the spot, and the City players didn't complain.  Smicer was booked for his discrepancy, and cut a forlorn figure as Harte lined the penalty up.  It wasn't to be though, the Irish defender thumping the ball straight into the midriff of Weaver.  The loose ball was cleared by Howey, and treatment was needed for the brave City goalkeeper, but luckily he was fine to continue.

 

This was the last action of the half, and as Cricklewood blew his whistle for the half-time break, the City fans roared their approval.  Two goals, some excellent chances, and a missed Leeds penalty gave them plenty to smile about, and Hansen managed a small smile as he followed his players down the tunnel for the half time talk.  Porter, on the other hand, didn't look quite as pleased, looking at his players quite angrily as they walked slowly towards the sheds.

 

Hansen can not have had too much to say at half time, his side were completely outplaying their much higher-paid opponents, and could well have been three or four goals to the good if it wasn't for the woodwork.  Porter had plenty to say though, yelling quite evident in the tunnel from the Leeds dressing room as the Whites boss gave his players a piece of his mind.

 

As both sets of players re-emerged for the second half, there were two changes to the lineups, and both coming from Porter.  Harte had his horror day ended when he was replaced by Porter's countryman Dominic Matteo, while semi-final hero Malbranque hadn't quite cut the mustard in the first half, and was subbed for Eirik Bakke.  Neither Harte nor Malbranque re-appeared from the dressing room for the second half.

 

Cricklewood began the second half amidst massive roars from the jubilant Manchester City fans.  The Leeds fans were shell shocked, and with good reason, their lower division rivals were mopping the floor with the Whites, and things were not looking good for a second half revival.

 

To their credit, Leeds came out with some fight in the second half.  Perhaps the roasting from their manager had some affect, and they had their second best chance of the match in the 48th minute, when Alan Smith came back a long way to get the ball.  He held off both Haaland and Unsworth well, before back-heeling quite wonderfully through to Keane, but the Irish forward hit his low drive straight into the path of Weaver who held it well.  Frustration for Keane and Leeds as another chance went begging.

 

The next ten minutes produced some rather tense football, with City keen to hold onto their advantage, and Leeds trying everything they could to get the ball from their sure-footed midfielders.  Cricklewood was letting the play run quite nicely, but unfortunately for Leeds, the City defence was in fine form.  Two nice passes from Bowyer, intended for Saha who had broken the offside trap on both occasions, were very well cut out by Unsworth, before a low snap along the ground by Kewell was half-saved by Weaver and cleared from just in front of the line by, strangely enough, Shaun Goater.

 

The popular striker was to turn villain just minutes later though as his attempts at helping in defence turned sour, when he gave away Leeds' second penalty just after the hour mark.  It was a silly mistake to make, the Bermuda international simply sticking his arm out as Keane attempted a cross intended for the head of the unmarked Smith, and Cricklewood was in an excellent position to point at the spot.

 

With Harte not on the pitch, Frenchman Louis Saha stood up to take the penalty, and looked quietly confident as he waited for the referee's whistle.  Finally it came, and he took his run up.  It was only a short one, but his drive packed some serious power.  Unfortunately the shot would threaten only the City fans behind the goals though, Saha thumping it quite a few feet over the bar, and looking desolate as he watched the ball land into the blue crowd.

 

He was immediately subbed for former West Ham starlet Defoe, and got a pat on the back by team mates Paul Robinson and Michael Bridges as he wrapped himself in a Leeds tracksuit.  The play went on though, but the Leeds fight appeared to be gone, allowing City to again take control of the match.

 

In truth, City should've had the victory wrapped up by the 70th minute, but their finishing was missing its regular punch.  Good chances fell to Tiatto and Haaland, but both times they snatched at the opportunities presented to them by excellent low passes by Hanstveit, and both times the ball flew wide of Martyn's post.

 

Hansen decided some substitutes would be made after Tiatto's miss, and the balding Australian was subbed for big defender Zat Knight.  Tiatto was applauded off the field by the City fans, but there would be some concern from them just minutes later as a hopeless late tackle by the volatile Smith caught Smicer late, and the Czech crashed to the turf immediately.  He was brought off immediately, replaced by Yugoslav midfielder Branko Boskovic, with City physios nervously looking over his ankle.

 

The changes solidified City, and they looked impenetrable as a force.  Their confidence sky-high, it became a question not of if, but when they'd score their third.  And it finally came just nine minutes from time, a quick throw-in taken by Hanstveit.  He received the ball back straight away from Haaland and immediately crossed into the box, where Boskovic got ahead of his marker at the near post to nod down past Martyn for his first City goal.

 

Celebrations were now under way, and Hansen sent on striker Darren Huckerby for Goater with just a few minutes remaining.  Huckerby lapped up the atmosphere eagerly, sprinting his heart out for his limited time on the field, and very nearly completing the rout in the second minute of injury time when he was left unmarked from a low Boskovic cross, but he was the third City player denied by the woodwork on the day, watching as his rising drive smacked into the crossbar and flew away to safety.

 

Soon after Cricklewood looked at his watch for the final time, giving three short sharp bursts of his whistle to signal the end of a memorable game.  The City bench flung themselves onto the pitch as the referee ended the match, celebrating wildly with each other.  Hansen showed some fantastic sportsmanship though, getting his players and staff together to go around and shake the hands of the Leeds players, who were visibly distraught as their white-clad bodies littered the pitch.

 

City had done it though, and very quickly the podium for the presentation was set up.  Just ten minutes after the final whistle, the City players were preparing to receive the PMF Cup trophy from PMF Executive members Kevin Porter and Dr. Olivier Cadin, and they were clad in custom-made T-shirts which had on them "Manchester City:  Double Champions, 2001-2002".  The statement on the shirt was completely true, City's season had ended with a fantastic victory.

 

Finally they were ready to receive the trophy, and it was presented amidst an enormous cheer from the City fans.  As captain David Unsworth held the trophy aloft, it was the culmination of a fantastic season for the Division 4 champions.  And in excellent news for City, Smicer emerged to collect his medal and share of the spoils, his ankle injury just minor bruising.  But as each member of the City side held the trophy above their heads, Chris Porter stood as a lonely man.  He's watched his side go from championship material to a team incapable of a competent performance in such an important game.

 

It was Manchester City's day though, and the scoreline could've been much worse than 3-0.  City had six, seven or even eight in them, but they'll take any victory to cap off their season with a fine win.  The red-hot favourites had emerged triumphant, thanks to possibly the finest team performance of the year, and surely they will be a major danger for all clubs in all competitions next season.

 

Leeds United   0-3   Manchester City

 

Leeds United Squad: Nigel Martyn 5, Gary Kelly 5, Ian Harte 4 (Dominic Matteo 6), Rio Ferdinand © 7, Jonathon Woodgate 6, Steed Malbranque 5 (Eirik Bakke 6), Robbie Keane 6, Lee Bowyer 6, Harry Kewell 7, Louis Saha 6 (Jermaine Defoe 6), Alan Smith 6.

Subs Not Used: Paul Robinson, Michael Bridges.

 

Scorers: None; Harte missed penalty '40, Saha missed penalty '61.

Injuries: None.

Bookings: Ferdinand, Smith, Bowyer.

Sendings Off: None.

 

Manchester City Squad: Nicky Weaver 8, Steve Howey 7, David Unsworth © 8, Ugo Ehiogu 8, Alf Inge Haaland 8, Erlend Hanstveit 9, Vladimir Smicer 8 (Branko Boskovic 8), Ariel Ortega 10, Milan Baros 9, Shaun Goater 8 (Darren Huckerby 7), Danny Tiatto 8 (Zat Knight 7).
Subs Not Used: Carlo Nash, Eyal Berkovic.

 

Scorers: Ortega '7, Baros '34, Boskovic '81.

Injuries: Smicer (bruised heel - 17th April).

Bookings: Unsworth, Smicer.

Sendings Off: None.

 

Match Stats

Shots On Target: Leeds United 3-9 Manchester City

Shots Off Target: 3-6

Fouls Committed: 19-12

Corners: 3-8

Offsides: 1-5

Possession: 42%-58%

Attendance: 120,000 (full capacity) @ PMF National Stadium, London

Referee: Henry Cricklewood (Woking) - 9/10.

 

Man of the Match: Ariel Ortega - in one word, outstanding.  The Argentinian has already repaid his £6.2 million price tag in full, and then some.  His performance today was nothing short of world class, and he has shown that his presence in this City side has indeed lifted them.  Was a worthy winner of this award amongst a team full of fantastic players, who all put in an unbelieveable effort to make this day complete.  Thanks to Ortega and his team mates, City were the first ever PMF double winners.